1. Field of Invention
The present invention pertains to an image capturing apparatus capable of capturing images of both sides of originals.
2. Conventional Art
As in known, image capturing apparatuses of this type are capable of using two capturing means to capture both sides of originals more or less simultaneously as originals are taken up from a tray and are transported, outputting images of both sides of originals captured by both capturing means when in double-sided capturing mode, or outputting images of one side of originals captured by one of the capturing means when in single-sided capturing mode (see Japanese Patent Application Publication Kokai No. H10-178519 (1998), Japanese Patent Application Publication Kokai No. H11-136442 (1999), and Japanese Patent Application Publication Kokai No. 2001-77960).
Originals in the tray may be transported as they are or may be transported after they have been flipped such that front and back are reversed, such operations for transport of originals being established as appropriate for each particular model of image capturing apparatus. Furthermore, the downward-facing side of the originals is typically captured as the originals are being transported. For this reason, during single-sided capturing mode, in placing originals in the tray, whether the side to be captured should face upward or downward is a function of whether originals in the tray are transported without flipping or whether they are transported after first being flipped such that front and back are reversed. When originals in the tray are transported without flipping, the originals should be placed in the tray such that the side to be captured faces downward, but when front and back are flipped prior to transport, the originals should be placed in the tray such that the side to be captured faces upward. Furthermore, it is often the case that indication is provided as to whether originals should be placed in the tray face up or face down.
However, because, in placing the originals in the tray, the direction in which the side to be captured should face may vary randomly from one model of image capturing apparatus to another, there have been cases where any indication which may have existed as to the direction in which originals should face in the tray was overlooked, and as a result of confusion over whether the side of the originals to be captured should face upward or face downward, originals were placed in the tray such that the originals faced in the wrong direction, resulting in a situation in which the blank sides of the originals were captured. Or even where the mistake was discovered prior to capturing, it would still have been necessary to rectify placement of the originals.
Therefore, in the aforementioned image capturing apparatuses, during single-sided capturing mode, the two capturing means might be used to capture both sides of the originals, the side of the originals to be captured might be identified based on the results of capturing by both capturing means, a capturing means capable of capturing the side to be captured might be selected, and images of originals captured by the selected capturing means might be output, as a result of which operations would be accomplished without the need to rectify placement of originals.
Or input operations on the part of the user might be used to designate either the upward-facing or the downward-facing side of the originals in the tray, a capturing means capable of capturing the designated side of the originals might be selected, and images of originals captured by the selected capturing means might be output, as a result of which operations would be accomplished without the need to rectify placement of originals
However, in the aforementioned conventional image capturing apparatuses, when in single-sided capturing mode, where two capturing means have been used to capture both sides of the originals, this has meant that both capturing means would have been made to operate all of the time, which has been extremely uneconomical due to the high power consumption. Furthermore, the processing circuits for processing of respective images captured by respective capturing means have had to carry out processing of images depicting blank sides of originals or the like, increasing the amount of wasted processing, increasing load, increasing processing time, and contributing to reduced life.
Furthermore, when a plurality of originals are placed in the tray, the respective originals are arranged such that all of the original face the same way, the side to be captured being made to face either upward or downward. Since on rare occasions the sides of the originals to be captured do not all face the same way, if, for each original, the side of the original to be captured is identified as previously described based on the results of capturing by the respective capturing means and a capturing means capable of capturing the side to be captured is selected, it will be possible to compensate for such errors. However, considering the power consumption, load on processing circuits, increased processing time, and reduced life that would result from causing the respective capturing means to operate all the time for the sake of a rare error, this does not appear to be preferred after all.